Ki
Ki (気, Spirit) is a unique form of energy that exists in , acting as an alternative means to gain supernatural powers separate from . It is this energy that enables Martial Artists without innate ability in Magic to possess power outside of human limitations. History Since ancient times, Martial Artists have always sought ways to go beyond a human's physical limits. No matter how they trained their mind and body, however, they would always come short of the incredible beasts that prowled across the lands and sea. For this reason, humans had never been a dominant species. The introduction of changed this. It provided humans a means to connect with the environment, utilize its incredible powers and direct it to fulfill any purpose. Nevertheless, this gift of wielding Magic was not present for every individual. As a result, Martial Artists looked deeper within themselves as a means to gain a new power. A process of constant meditation, heightening one's awareness of self, and revitalizing one's mind and body over numerous years would eventually lead to the results that these Martial Artists desired; a means of transcendence. Eventually the time would come where this power grew within select Martial Artists that continued their dedicated training in the acquisition of such power, which led to the understanding that this power was brought out from their very core. As the advents in Magic revealed, all beings possessed a soul, even though it was mostly intangible. What wasn't known to the world was that this soul was not a static entity. It possessed the ability to exert an energy based on how the body grew and became closer to it, thus granting such incredible abilities. Of course, in early society, Mages were the dominant force that changed the very nature of human conflict. They could not stand that other individuals besides their prestigious elite possessed such abilities. As such, the majority of the traditional Martial Artists were eliminated in a purge, besides a select few. Despite these events, there are a plethora of survivors left in the world, who continue to teach the cultivation of Ki to those fortunate enough to find them in the island now known as Murim. Overview Ki is a form of energy that enables the holder to gain the ability to surpass human limits when it concerns their physical and mental prowess. Unlike Magic, which requires an innate attribute to possess due to its nature, Ki can theoretically be obtained by anyone in the world who strives for it. This is because Ki isn't an energy that is awoken, but rather, exists naturally in all human beings in a dormant state. Through training in the mind, body and reflecting on one's experiences through meditation, one eventually taps into the purest essence of their soul and awakens a latent fighting spirit from within it that leaks out of the confines of the soul and into the physical body that acts as its cage. When this spirit leaks out, it acts as a form of energy that blends with the anatomical functions of the body, vastly enhancing one's physical and mental capabilities by fusing with the body's cells. When compared to Magic, which has a primarily "external" method of control, Ki acts completely internally. As a result, Ki cannot be externalized by any means. Of course, if the user wields a weapon as a natural extension of themselves through training, such restrictions are bypassed. But reaching this level of skill is another hurdle of its own. Alternatively, one can theoretically "externalize" their Ki through the projection of one's physical force bolstered by Ki into the environment — the primary example of which is air pressure. An interesting aspect of the energy is that the achievement of Ki tends to prolong one's life due to the revitalization of their internal health. The primary expression of one's Ki to another is classified as Sakki (殺気, Murderous Spirit). As such, it is often touted as an equivalent to a Mage's Magical Aura. However, the primary difference lies, once again, in the lack of externalization available to a user of Ki. Despite this seemingly being a restriction, it can actually be used in favor for a particularly skilled combatant. After all, one's Sakki is directed through one's intention. As such, any who are victim to being the target of the user is soon engulfed in the incredible mental stress associated with the viewing of the Sakki. After all, the Sakki is a direct confrontation to the opposing party's soul by the strength of one's own soul. As such, it ends up being a battle of willpower. It is due to the fact that this exchange occurs between the souls that, unlike the rowdy nature of Magical Aura, one's Sakki doesn't leave lasting effects on the environment. Although, this doesn't prevent those with considerable skill in Ki or Magic Sensing to be able to perceive the individual exerting this force. Relationship with Magic The relationship between Ki and Magic is noticeably antagonistic. Where Ki exists, Magic cannot and vice-versa. The reason for this lies in the fundamentals of both concepts. Magic is the connection of one's physical spirit (also recognized as the soul) to the spiritual flow of nature (also recognized as ) in order to produce a link that ultimately becomes the catalyst for the employment of Magic. In contrast, Ki is the excitement of one's physical spirit, thus releasing a form of energy that seeps into the body and mind of the individual in question. It is because of this that two individuals who wield one of the two forces tend to be naturally antagonistic towards one another, in a similar vein to the natural antagonism that can exist between species such as and . Usage The usage of Ki is dramatically different from Magic. Given that it provides a limit-breaking opportunity for those who access the energy, its primary use lies within the enhancement of one's martial arts. It provides the user an avenue to access supernatural skills that are only taught about in legends. Due to their diligence in controlling the body's strength, a user of Ki is fully capable of channeling and focusing the energy into different parts of their body, exponentially enhancing their traditional martial arts forms and techniques. When considering the alignment one's Ki possesses, it is also fully possible to surround one's body in an elemental form, an aspect of Ki that often causes proficient Martial Artists to personalize their fighting styles to optimize the strength granted by one's spirit. Classifications Hard and Soft Given that Ki is a power drawn out through one's Martial Arts, it is clear that almost all Ki comes underneath the blanket term of "Hard" (剛, Gō) and "Soft" (柔, Jū). Notably, it is virtually impossible for one's Ki to be exclusively aligned with one of those factions, or both simultaneously. Instead, Ki is noted to exist on a spectrum from hard to soft, your personal position being dependent on your training within the Martial Arts as well as your personal code of conduct. The only exceptions to this rule lie either with those who have mastered Martial Arts to the point where they encompass everything within it, or those possessing an Abnomaly due to factors beyond their control. Those possessing an alignment that leans towards "Hard" (剛, Gō) are noted to utilize Martial Arts that focus on external damage and physical strength. When employing Martial Arts, one's Ki passively flows to augment the strength of their physical body, allowing them to perform blows of such intensity that shockwaves ripple from the epicenter of the strike. In addition, one's physical durability also sees a monumental rise. However, that being said and done, the ability to correctly utilize this alignment lies within one's own skill and precision. Even with overflowing physical strength, should the correct movements not be performed, one's Ki is rendered useless and leaves the Martial Artist wide open. Those possessing an alignment that leans towards "Soft" (柔, Jū) are noted to utilize Martial Arts that focus on internal damage and flexibility. When employing Martial Arts, one's Ki passively flows throughout the body in an even distribution that loosens up the physical body, thereby allowing them to perform extreme feats of physical flexibility with little-to-no concern. Likewise, upon performing soft strikes towards an enemy, their strength penetrates in a straight line and bypasses all conventional defenses, causing crippling blows in a matter of moments should an enemy not possess the necessary internal defenses. Notably, despite being capable of such physical feats, if performed incorrectly or without any form of thought, their maneuvers will more-than-likely end up as useless. Five Flows The principles governing the spectrum of Ki is often thought to be correlated with the universal forces regarded as " " (陰陽, Inyō). As such, in the same sense as , different proportions of the two forces combined with the user's intrinsic willpower leads to their Ki aligning with one of the "Five Flows" (五行, Gogyō), which causes the Ki flowing across their bodies to take upon an elemental attribute that vastly increases the specialization and power of their Martial Arts. "Fire" (火, Hi) is the element often associated with an excess of passion, of rage, of power that exists to overwhelm and consume all. To many Martial Artists that do not have the proper guiding principles leading them to the conclusion of Ki, Fire is the element they are naturally aligned with. When the life of one's soul is personified through flames, their entire being is encompassed in extraordinary vitality. One's heart beats at a rate far beyond human comprehension and the blood that is pumped across the body moves as swiftly as a raging inferno. Every ounce of energy that has been used by the body is driven to increase one's physical power. But to the inexperienced, this raging inferno will last for only minutes. After all, uncontrolled flames of the soul will inevitably consume the body and leave it crumbling in ashes. While certainly a risky alignment for some, it is not uncommon to control the output of such vitality, controlling and localizing it to maximize its efficiency with regards to its cost on the body's physical condition. "Water" (水, Sui) is the element associated with tranquility, flow, of power that slowly builds up and crashes down on an enemy. Those who have experienced Martial Arts and possess an inner calmness will find themselves drifting towards this path. It is often the path of the pacifist, where they will seek the most harmless route imaginable. When the life of one's soul is personified through water, their being feels a constant omnidirectional flow. One's heart beats at a stable rate and there is no inconsistencies in the body's homeostasis. The body is in a state of passive alert, where all flow returns to one's instincts, as opposed to their physical power. Individuals will find that they are able to observe the path of anything in their range through a calm, but heightened awareness of every sense. Any Martial Art that aligns with the element of water will undoubtedly be one that manipulates the existing tides of battle, as oppose to establishing it. However, the flow of water is not always uninterrupted. A shift in focus will act as a boulder in the path of the river, wherein an inexperienced practitioner, or a practitioner facing an unsurmountable enemy will surely collapse and have their strength leak out of their body. Water is perhaps the most difficult element for one to remain aligned with, for it requires a level of experience in understanding technique that surpasses standard convention. "Metal" (金, Kane) is the element of precision, sharpness, of power that comes from the iron will to never bend before anything... "Wood" (木, Ki) "Earth" (土, Tsuchi) Anomalies "Demon" (鬼, Oni) Trivia *This article has been allowed by Perchan. *This article draws its basis from the concept of found in Martial Arts. :*In simple terms, this article exists as an alternative to Magic for those individuals purely reliant on Martial Arts. Category:Fighting Style